The Christmas season is finally here and consumer behavior is now adhering to the holiday spirit. Is your small business ready to attract more holiday shoppers and tackle this not-to-be-missed, lucrative period?
Make sure you’ve got to all the things in the list and get ready to get the sales rolling in. Read on and see if you’ve got everything to help your small business along in all the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
1. Develop a contemplative strategy for the holidays
Planning your seasonal strategy should start early on, so chances are you’ve got this checked already. An effective holiday strategy for Christmas and New Year should include all aspects of your business, right down to the packaging. Make sure to get really creative with this since you want clients and new customers to remember you long after the Christmas tree and the festive lights are taken down and stored.
To formulate the right holiday plan for your business, make sure to ask the right questions. What do you want to accomplish? How do you want people to see your business during the holidays and in general as well?
2. Incorporate a theme and use it in all aspects of business during the season
This aspect is very important and could form the catalyst for your marketing campaign. People are attracted to creative themes that really embody the holiday spirit. Christmas decorations are everywhere, so people expect your business to get into the spirit as well. Make sure to make yours really memorable so people can really relate to it and remember your brand long after the holidays are over.
Some creative themes to explore are the creation of an icon, image or mascot and the writing of a catchy line through which you can build up on your holiday strategies. Just how many times have people fallen for festive teddy bears or attractive slogans that really capture how they feel about the season? Make sure to include these on your site, your social media channels, your email campaigns, your advertisements and your packaging.
3. Create marketing incentives for customers
Nothing creates more enthusiasm than creative and attractive marketing incentives that customers can take advantage of. From holiday sales that feature price reductions and purchase incentives to freebies, giveaways and gifts, this marketing stance is truly something you can take advantage of. Explore such avenues as offering more return/exchange policies and little things such as free candy or holiday-themed small items to go with customers’ purchases.
Research shows that consumers respond to these friendly actions as they show that your business has a human aspect to it, something that truly reflects the buoyant spirit that everyone feels during the season.
4. Revamp your site and your social media for holiday cheer
This is one of the most important things on your checklist. Studies show that much of consumer activity during the holiday season is done through the web using cellphones, tabs and other gadgets. With the hectic gift list and schedule that people have, there is often no time to browse through endless rows of gifts at brick-and-mortar stores. This is where your online store comes in.
People browse the net on a daily basis and one of the first things they are likely to see about you is your site, so make sure to have it optimized for the holidays. Remember to incorporate your theme on your site and online store. Don’t forget to fully streamline your marketing campaigns at your social media channels as well and make sure to have them all connected.
Get into the holiday spirit and let your passion become your inspiration during the season of giving. Remember, customers give more to your business at this time than probably every other season of the year, so make sure to give back and get your operations rolling.
About the Author: Ethan Robinson is an Australia-based online marketing strategist who constantly works with local and international clients. He is currently partnering with US-based Small Business Expo to get more SME owners together and build business-impacting networks.
Photo credit: William Murphy / Flickr
